The HSHS St. Francis Foundation and its agriculture committee will host the Farm Family event Wednesday, March 26 at St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield. The Farm Family Event is a free event where Macoupin and Montgomery county farmers and their families can come together for a day of health, education and community. 

  

Complimentary health screenings will be available from 7 to 9 a.m. and will include: 

• Comprehensive blood profile screening 

• Prostate screening 

• Skin cancer screening 

• Oral cancer screening 

• Hemoglobin A1C check 

• Hearing check 

• Blood pressure check 

• At-home colon cancer screening kit 

Pre-registration is required for the screenings and may be made by contacting Crystal Lilley at 217-324-8564 by March 21.   

  

A hearty breakfast buffet will begin at 7:45 a.m., compliments of Litchfield Family Practice Center. At 8:15 a.m., Heather Hampton-Knodle of Fillmore will discuss “A Day in the Life of a Farmer: Living Local While Feeding the World.” Hampton-Knodle is past president of American Agri-Women and a member of the Illinois Governor’s Rural Affairs Council. Katie Wilson, Montgomery County Farm Bureau Manager, will present “News You Can Use,” updates on Farm Bureau programming and activities. 

  

Following their presentations, the event will conclude with the presentation of the St. Isidore, Friend of Agriculture Award and drawings for door prizes. 

  

“We hope this event will be beneficial to our area farmers by providing them with health screenings, timely information on agriculture issues, and a nice meal,” said Paula Endress, St. Francis Hospital Philanthropy Manager. “We appreciate all the work of our agriculture committee members in planning this event – Lou Ellen Anderson, Eric Helgen, Erik Hyam, Jean Jubelt, Jane Martin, Bill Montgomery and Kevin Niemann.”